


rhythm of midnight

by miimin



Category: NCT (Band), WAYV
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Semi Public Sex, Smut, catholic boy taeil and his witch boyfriend sicheng, cute dates around the place, sicheng is a witch and owns a soap+candle shop, slight body worship, supportive boyfriends!!, taeil is a sexy tattoo artist, wholesome and domestic content for the soul
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:28:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26307826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miimin/pseuds/miimin
Summary: When Sicheng kissed him under the full moon, new life bloomed in him. And since then, Sicheng has been his greatest source of comfort beside his faith. Falling into Sicheng’s arms after a long day of work is a special sort of heaven, exclusive to Taeil only.
Relationships: Dong Si Cheng | WinWin/Moon Taeil
Comments: 8
Kudos: 30





	rhythm of midnight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jongdaeil](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jongdaeil/gifts).



> hello rinrin!! i hope you like this fic (o´▽`o) it's very very soft and fluffy for the soul  
> hope you enjoy!

Taeil wouldn’t call himself a holy man, but he thinks he’s somewhere on the spectrum closer to God than the average person. Visiting church and attending mass is a weekly Sunday activity and if his shift ends early enough, he’ll swing by on weekdays for a short moment with God.

Here he is on a Wednesday evening. Taeil had the closing shift at the tattoo parlor and closed its doors about thirty minutes early. It had been a slow day but when Taeil sees a dozen clients scheduled to come the next day, he thanks God for a peaceful day today.

Most of the lights dangling in the parlor has been switched off and the only light streaming in is the golden setting sun. Taeil scans himself in the large floor to ceiling mirror. His jet black hair is half slicked up and tattoos peak out of the navy blue bomber jacket he had on. He’s the exact image of what anyone would imagine a tattoo artist to look like, though maybe a little shorter.

With the parlor neatly packed for the day and locked up, Taeil whizzes straight to church on his motorcycle. The loud rumble of the engine buzzes the adrenaline in him to life and he revs the engine once more, picking up speed on the small empty road. Through his grey tinted helmet, he sees people watching him in awe and some bothered by the loud roar of his beloved bike. 

_ Oh well,  _ Taeil continues down the roads. It takes about fifteen more minutes before the buildings get more sparse and the trees grow in clusters. Just a stone’s throw away, he spots the house of God. Not just any house of God—his parish church. When he was as young as five years old, his parents would take him and his sister to this church to give their praise and worship. Though it dwindled in frequency as they got older, that didn’t stop Taeil from coming down on his own.

He parks his motorcycle in the open parking lot right next to the church playground and removes his helmet. A smile adorns his face as he sees two children, probably a pair of siblings, chasing each other around the swing set. It reminds him of his sister and himself when they were younger, dashing out of the church halls to fight for the first ride down the slide. He doesn’t realise he’s staring till one of them meets his eyes.

“Eek! A scary man! Ryujin, we gotta run!” the young boy shouts. Their little hands search for each other, running off into the distance after they do. Taeil raises a brow but chuckles to himself. His eyes flicker back to the mirror on his bike. To be fair, he’d be pretty spooked as a child if he saw a man dressed in dark colours perched by his motorbike.

Taeil trades his bomber jacket for a tinner, lighter beige jacket in the trunk of his bike. With a hand loosening the gel in hair, strands fall down to his forehead and instantly, he looks friendlier. He enters the almost empty church hall, not more than a handful of seats occupied by one or two elderly people praying the rosary or talking to God. He receives brief smiles from those who recognise him and politely nods back.

Taeil finds an empty pew and kneels. He makes the sign of the cross and surrenders himself to God, pouring out his worries till his heart feels lighter. When he opens his eyes, most of the setting golden sunlight has vanished and the dim ceiling lights take their place. 

"It's so nice to see youngsters coming down to pray to God. It feels like I see less and less kids nowadays," an elderly lady approaches Taeil with a walking stick. Taeil smiles at the familiar face.

"I've been an adult for a few years, Mrs. Park," Taeil closes his prayers with a sign of the cross and takes a seat back on the pew. He pats the space beside him, inviting Mrs. Park to take a seat.

"I haven't seen you since two weeks ago. How have you been?" Taeil starts and the conversation rolls from there. While he isn't particularly or overly concerned about the personal lives of other parishioners, it's always nice to see the glow on their faces when someone shows they care, even if it's about the simple things. 

“That lazy husband of mine takes so much convincing to take a walk in the park with me! Always wanting to watch those nonsense game shows on the television. Oh if only I could get rid of that noisy TV! But then I wouldn’t be able to catch my favourite after dinner cooking show,” Mrs. Park sighs. Soon, the stars peek out of hiding, faintly dotting the sky.

"Oh my, I've been chatting for a tad bit too long haven't I? I should return before it gets too dark. You have your special someone waiting for you too, right?" Taeil nods fondly at that. 

"I should buy some dinner for us too. He's been craving for some pizza lately." They walk out of the church hall together with Taeil offering an arm for Mrs. Park to support herself on. He thinks of what pizza to get on the way back and decides on something with shrimp.

"Fufu, look at you! So happy just from the thought of him. Bring him to church one day. I'll give you two my blessings in advance in case you decide to get married," Mrs. Park winks and Taeil flushes pink. Marriage isn't something actively on his mind but he isn't opposed to it. In fact, he would be  _ very  _ for it.

Taeil walks Mrs. Park to the bus stop just outside the church and on the way back to his bike, he spots a tall figure leaning against his bike, head tucked into his chin and tapping intently at his phone. When Taeil gets a closer look, he sees the figure donning the jacket he had on earlier. He smiles. 

"Is my baby cold?" Taeil slides an arm on the waist of the figure not more than a foot away from him.

"Ah!" Sicheng yelps, then relaxes immediately when he sees Taeil. "You made me lose my game," the younger pouts.

"Sorry," Taeil snakes his arms around Sicheng's waist, pulling himself closer for a hug.

"You don't sound very sorry," Sicheng tilts his head where Taeil kisses and exposes more skin for his boyfriend to love. He replies with a soft "Mm," and continues kissing all over. Sicheng hugs back, squeezing the elder and pressing a kiss on Taeil’s temple.

"How long have you been waiting?" Today isn't the first time Sicheng swung by the church unannounced. Usually, Sicheng swings by the parlour after his afternoon shift at his very own candle and soap shop a few streets away from the parlor. But when the younger spots the neon ‘open’ sign unlit, he takes the next bus to the church.

“Not long,” Sicheng peeps at the time on his lockscreen. “Maybe ten minutes? But whatever, I’m really hungry. I kind of forgot to eat my lunch earlier.” Sicheng whines when Taeil pinches his cheek, receiving a short nagging on the importance of eating his meal regularly. “Pizza?” Taeil suggests and Sicheng’s face lights up. “With shrimp?” And Sicheng’s nods with enthusiasm. Taeil grins and tiptoes to kiss Sicheng’s lips.

How he got so lucky to have the most beautiful boy in the world pick him to love, Taeil isn’t sure. But that doesn’t matter when Sicheng snakes his arms around him from behind, buzzing with excitement for pizza.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

_ Three years ago; Taeil’s senior year of college. _

It was Sunday again and Taeil had just made it in time for the day’s last evening mass. His bones were lighter when the celebration was finished and he hummed his favourite hymns on the way out, slowly moving in waves of other parishioners filing out of the church hall. 

Taeil eyed his motorbike parked at the far end of the carpark and dreaded returning to campus. Returning to campus meant having to put up with his roommate’s half drunk pre gaming for a frat party or a frantic mess of trying to get assignments from the previous week done. He’d probably bug Taeil for answers and help and frankly, Taeil would prefer not to extend his kindness to someone who doesn’t take the first step to help themselves.

So he broke away from the crowd and aimlessly walked to somewhere quieter, more detached from the world. Taeil found himself on the other end of the church compound, close to the churchyard sized about half a football court. It’s dimly lit from the lamps sparsely planted around the space and Taeil was about to continue on his walk till he spotted a figure, tracing a name carved into a gravestone.

They could be visiting a deceased loved one, mourning their absence and recounting the days they had spent together. Or they could be a ghost, because when Taeil opened his eyes after blinking, the figure was gone.

With time to spare and curiosity flickering in him, Taeil trotted over to the confines of the cemetery. It’s a familiar place but not one he visits often. Names of people he doesn’t know and bouquets of flowers are all around him. The waking moon’s glow danced on petals and concrete, beautiful in its tranquility. Taeil almost forgot what he was here for till he heard a not so distant crunch of a fallen twig. 

Taeil abruptly turned his head in the direction of the noise. There it was—a figure hunched over by a grave—silent as a mouse and shrouded in shadows. Taeil advanced slowly, making small noises so as to not shock the individual when he was close enough.

Despite all the taps against stone and dried leaves Taeil stepped on, the figure didn't turn. A gulp ran down Taeil’s throat. With all the courage in him versus the voice in his head that told him to abscond, Taeil reached out to tap the shoulder of the figure whose hands laid almost stagnant on the petals laying by a grave.

“Uhm... hey-”

“Ah!” The figure startled. He whipped around, shoulders tensed but eyes reflecting the dim lights beautifully.

_ Wow,  _ Taeil inhaled sharply.  _ Wow,  _ he told himself again, his mind not having the ability to formulate any other words.

. . .

“You scared me there. I thought I was having my first ever ghost encounter,” Taeil chuckled as he sipped the hot beverage he purchased from the carpark vending machine. An americano, contrasting the canned hot chocolate the stranger had cupped in his hands. They had moved from the graveyard to the parking lot, faces well lit and provided with better places to perch on. Taeil leaned on his bike while the stranger leaned on a nearby pole.

“Rest assured you’re not the only one whose been scared by me,” the taller man replied. He’s taller than Taeil but younger looking. An undeniable baby face framed by fluffy silver hair. “But you are the first who ever approached me.”

Taeil nodded and silence followed. They take their time to empty their drink cans and when they do, Taeil asked, “If you don’t mind, may I ask if you were visiting anyone?”

A semi redundant question but if Taeil were to think back to how this tall beauty was visiting multiple graves, the answer became less clear.

The taller looks away with a troubled expression and Taeil had thought he overstepped his boundaries. Just when he was going to retract his question, the taller replied.

“No one, actually…” he contemplated whether to continue. He soon did.

“I was kind of… admiring the place, I guess. I heard this church is a pretty nice place to visit in the evening.”

“It is! It’s probably the most peaceful place I know.” Taeil wondered if the other is a catholic like him, looking for a place to confide in God. “It’s beautiful, right? It’s almost like the world beyond this compound doesn’t exist, and it’s just you and God.”

“Oh,  _ God?”  _ the taller snickered almost sarcastically. “Now  _ that  _ is something I don’t believe in.”

Taeil’s eyebrows furrowed.  _ Now that isn’t a very nice thing to say. _

Sensing Taeil’s slight agitation, the younger raised his hand to shake them apologetically. “Ah, I didn’t mean it like that. It’s cool if you pray to him. We’re all free to believe who we want.”

If he wasn’t so cute, Taeil would have considered drawing their conversation to a close. Instead, Taeil continued analysing him. The taller had silver hair, parted at the side and contrasting the lip ring he had on. From where Taeil was standing, he couldn’t tell if it was real or not. But if he were to step closer to scan those smooth lips down to the finest detail, Taeil felt like he could find out so much more about this intriguing stranger.

“Say, have I seen you somewhere before?” the stranger asked, drawing Taeil out of his gaze.

“I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me where I managed to miss out on someone like you?” Taeil playfully cocked his head to the side. Truthfully, Taeil doesn’t think he could miss out on someone as angelic looking as this stranger. And if he did, Taeil would have to smack himself on the head.

“Maybe stalking the rows of Hanyang’s library? Or maybe the campus garden on some days?”

Both of which the stranger said were true. Taeil could spend a hefty amount of time nagging himself for missing out on someone as cute as him in his university.

“I’m Sicheng, by the way. I’m a junior majoring in perfumery and cosmetic science. How about you?” Sicheng reached his hand out to shake. Taeil took it immediately.

“Taeil. Senior, majoring in communication design.”

“I see we have an artist here. You must have an amazing style.”

“Not to stroke my own ego but yea, I do,” Taeil proudly planted a hand at his hip.

They continued chatting. Sentences slightly vague but still interesting enough to carry a conversation till the night sky is painted black.

“Need a ride back to campus?” Taeil offered. Not only would he be thrilled to have the hands of a pretty boy on him, but he also can’t imagine taking public transport at this time where changing buses at different stops could pose as troublesome. Sicheng nodded with gratitude and donned the extra helmet Taeil fished from the trunk.

“Drive safe, okay?” Sicheng whispered into Taeil’s ears when he’s about to start the engine. “Don’t let me distract you,” he teased and smoothed his hands at Taeil’s waist. Taeil smirked. A cute, naughty one. Exactly Taeil’s type.

Traffic was a bit more congested than Taeil had expected but he’s far from complaining given how Sicheng’s fingertips drum lightly at his waist, and a soft humming danced into Taeil’s ears while they waited for the light to turn green.

Soon, but unfortunately, enough, they’re back at campus. Sicheng removed the helmet, fluffing his hair back into place with Taeil as his adoring audience. “Thank you for the ride,” Sicheng smiled. “I’ll see you around, hopefully.”   


“At least grace me with your number,” Taeil rolled his eyes, lips tugged into a half smile as he did.

“You already have it, sweetheart!” Sicheng waved his phone from where he was walking away. Taeil dished his phone out of the pocket of his jacket and like Sicheng had said, a string of numbers had been dialed into the emergency call screen. He took a screenshot for good measure, then went on to save the number into his contacts.

A few days later, he tried his luck.

_ where do pretty boys like going for dates? figured you would know best _

No later than ten minutes, Taeil’s phone screen lit up with a new notification.

_ I have a few places in mind. Saturday, 5pm. Meet me at the patisserie just outside campus and I’ll show you. _

Taeil grinned to himself. He toyed with the word ‘date’ in his for a little longer during class, and a little longer after that till he bumped into a lamppost. 

. . .

One date turns into three and three turns into many more.

To Taeil’s absolute surprise and joy, Sicheng is much more shy and sweet than his first impression had suggested. The younger’s cheek grew pink whenever Taeil kissed him and never complained when Taeil looked tired during dates from the mountains of assignments he had crammed beforehand. He would wordlessly take Taeil’s hand, squeezing reassurance into him. Even better when their nights ended in Sicheng’s bed, with the younger’s legs spread open for Taeil to slot himself in between.

“So, so pretty,” Taeil cupped Sicheng’s cheeks. He leaned down, pecking up, down, left and right till Sicheng got impatient and pinched Taeil’s sides.

“Are you going to keep kissing me or are you finally going to fuck me?” Sicheng bit Taeil’s lower lip.

Cute, innocent, feisty and many other adjectives Taeil had attached to Sicheng’s name over time—each one of them made Sicheng so perfect. Later in the night when Sicheng was reduced to a moaning mess, Taeil can’t help but to look at Sicheng with hearts in his eyes.

. . .

Nothing is particularly serious between Sicheng and Taeil for the first two months of many impromptu dates. They’d visit areas near campus or they’d find themselves hidden between bookshelves in the library, kissing till their lips were swollen. 

In a sketchbook Taeil used between classes and during leisure, more pages had been filled by sketches of Sicheng surrounded by flowers. Some as simple as baby’s breath and others as complex as carnations shaded red.

Taeil had no doubt fallen deep and was happily wrapped around Sicheng’s littlest finger.

Places Sicheng would frequent on their dates were antique shops or shops that centered around witchcraft. It surprised Taeil at first to know that Sicheng associated himself with the title of a  _ witch.  _

“I know it can be odd for some people. You don’t have to accompany me to these kinds of places if you don’t want to. And you don’t have to hide if you’re weirded out by me,” Sicheng turned away in the middle of one of their visits to a witch-run antique shop. 

For the first time, a new sort of vulnerability presented itself before Taeil. Not the kind Sicheng showed during sex, not the ones he had when they were curled up around each other on movie nights Taeil insisted on. It’s the kind of vulnerability that had golden light peeking through a window into Sicheng’s heart with no obstacle or filter.

“No, no,” Taeil stepped closer and rested his hand on top of Sicheng’s. He stood on the tips of his toes as he leaned in to press a firm kiss to the corner of Sicheng’s lips. “I love when you take me to places you want to go. You always look so calm, you know? I can’t be weirded out by you being happy. I want to see your smile more than anything.”

Sicheng doesn’t look entirely convinced but he doesn’t pull away from Taeil’s hold. He leaned in tentatively, waiting for Taeil to do the same. Taeil needed no instruction to snake his arms around Sicheng, kissing gently and rubbing small circles on the small of Sicheng’s back.

Taeil wanted to know more of Sicheng. He wanted to see more of Sicheng. He wanted to know more about what Sicheng liked.

. . .

On a night of a full moon, maybe about a week after their visit to the antique shop, Sicheng invited Taeil to a small bar twenty minutes away from campus to get a break from projects and assignments. Taeil sipped on a fizzy cherry cola while Sicheng had a few rounds of shots around him on the bar counter.

“Baby,” the words slipped out from Taeil’s mouth before he could stop himself. “Shouldn’t you slow down? This is your fifth shot in the past ten minutes.”

“Nu-uh. It’s fun like…” Sicheng slurred and trailed off.

“Like what?” Taeil asked patiently.

“Like this,” Sicheng took another shot and licked his lips, his eyes boring straight into Taeil’s. His hand travelled to Taeil’s thighs, trailing upwards and inwards. “Everything goes slow, then fast, then slow, then fast again. It’s so, so fun. Do you like it? The thrill of the rush?”

“Love it,” Taeil whispered into Sicheng’s ears, not necessarily about the alcohol. There’s only about a centimeter of cola left in his glass and Taeil looked back to Sicheng, face beautifully and visibly flushed under the dim rosy bar lights. He glanced out the window at the silver full moon. An idea popped into his head.

“Will you let me take you somewhere?” 

“Mm, where? Somewhere to bed me? Do you want to fuck me?”

Taeil chuckled and kissed the crown of Sicheng’s head. “Not yet. I have a secret place in mind I think you’d really like. Can I bring you there?”

“As long as you don’t leave me there.”

“I would never dream of it. I’ll hold you close to me really tight.”

They leave the bar pressed close against each other. During the ride via Taeil’s motorcycle, Sicheng held on tight, drowning himself in the scent of Taeil’s vanilla body wash.

“This isn’t your dorm room,” Sicheng stated once they arrived at their new location. No, it certainly is not. “Thought you wanted to fuck me,” Sicheng pouted. Taeil swore he could melt on the spot. “No, it isn’t. It’s near the church we first met. I found it a few years ago when I was walking around the area,” Taeil explained and led Sicheng up a flight of stone stairs to a railing encasing the edge of a cliff.

“The view of the moon and the city is beautiful from here, isn’t it?” Taeil took in the sight of the city and the bright dots of lights scattered towards the horizon. Silence followed and Taeil switched his view from the city to Sicheng.

To Taeil’s absolute amazement, the look in Sicheng’s eyes had completely sobered up and his eyes were milky from the moon reflected in them. “Woah,” Sicheng muttered.

“I brought you here because I thought you would like it. I was… doing some research and reading about witchcraft and found out that full moons can be really important and meaningful. I got a bit confused when it got to the spell casting part but-” Taeil was cut off before he could finish the sentence.

Warmth met his lips and stayed there for many seconds to come. They basked in the moonlight and Taeil swore he could feel a newfound energy coursing within him. His heart sped up and his arms mirrored the ones wrapped tightly around his waist. Hands find their way to the small of Sicheng’s back, making a home out of the area.

Sicheng pulled back and stared deep into Taeil’s eyes, leaving him no chance to hide anything. “You really did that? You read about witches for…” Sicheng didn’t dare say it.

“For you. All for you and only you,” Taeil promised.

Sicheng couldn’t help but smile. He pressed kisses around Taeil’s face, just like how Taeil had done to him before.

“I think I love you just a little too much,” Sicheng touched his forehead against Taeil’s.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

“Baby! I’m home,” Taeil announces when he steps back into the apartment. It’s a bit late in the evening, later than Taeil had promised he’d be back by. A small box of pastries sitting in a paper bag hangs from Taeil’s hand, a tool Sicheng is eternally weak against. No replies follow and Taeil wonders if Sicheng has fallen asleep or overslept his nap. But when he passes the bathroom and picks up a sweet scent, Taeil knows exactly what Sicheng is doing.

Taeil returns to the bathroom door after storing the pastries in the fridge. He knocks on the door in rhythm and receives a soft ‘come in’. Taeil is greeted by the sight of lit candles perched on different surfaces of the bathroom. It replaces the lights normally provided by the electrical bulbs and wax trickles down its cylindrical sides. The tub is filled close to the brim and dried petals float on the surface around Sicheng, who sat upright in the tub.

Slowly, Sicheng opens his eyes and greets Taeil with a cheery grin. “Illie,” Sicheng rises midway from the tub till the scented water circles around his waist. His skin is porcelain smooth and glossy from the scented water. Open arms welcome Taeil and the elder carefully maneuvers around the candles to fall into Sicheng’s hug.

“Welcome home,” Sicheng kisses Taeil’s cheek. “I made some fried rice for dinner. And it came out really good this time.”

“It’s good all the time,” Taeil corrects and before Sicheng can object, Taeil asks, “Testing a new combination?”

To which Sicheng nods and sinks back into the water to warm his body. “Orange and peppermint. I think it might be popular around christmas, though I’m not sure if it’s more suited as a candle or soap,” Sicheng ponders aloud.

“I think it would be good as both. Anything you make is wonderful,” Taeil kisses Sicheng the same time his stomach rumbles. They giggle and Sicheng rises from the shower. As he steps out, Taeil extinguishes a few candles and wraps a nearby towel around Sicheng. “Were you meditating?”

“Mhm,” Sicheng confirms. “I wanted to set my path and goals on making something memorable for the year end period. I feel like it will be a good one amongst people in the city.”

Taeil coos. He squeezes the towel tight around Sicheng and inhales the citrusy scent. “Always so pure and hardworking. You know how much I love you?”

“Just a little too much?” A smirk tugs on Sicheng’s lip along with an eyebrow cocked in amusement.

“ _ A lot  _ too much and I think I just fell for you all over again.”

. . .

It’s during dinner that Sicheng surprises Taeil with a request.

“I want to try attending mass with you.”

Taeil almost drops his spoon of rice. “Wait, really?”

Sicheng nods and Taeil takes a few more seconds to process Sicheng’s words.

“I want us to be together during something that’s special to you instead of lazing around the graveyard for an hour while you’re chatting with your holy pals. Not that the churchyard is getting boring. I love how peaceful it is.”

From the phrase ‘holy pals’ to Sicheng emphasising his still existing fondness for the cemetery, Taeil wants to gobble Sicheng up from how cute he’s being. And Sicheng wanting them to be together for something special to him? Taeil thanks the heavens for bestowing upon him someone so precious.

So on the next Sunday Taeil drives Sicheng and himself to church, Taeil is buzzing with excitement from the prospect of having Sicheng by his side during the duration of mass. Before they enter the church halls, Taeil scans himself in the rear view mirror of his bike. He has on a black buttoned blouse, four buttons unbuttoned instead of two. Over the blouse, he has on a casual navy blue suit jacket. Not his usual church style but it’s what Sicheng requested he wore, just so they can match.

Peeking out from the open blouse, two tattoos lay visible. One being a rose on his chest plus a serpent around his neck he got with Sicheng in mind. The flower had been with him for the majority of his college days while the serpent came along a month after he and Sicheng moved in together. Despite its threatening snare, the snake symbolises something pure.

Rebirth and healing. 

When Sicheng kissed him under the full moon, new life bloomed in him. And since then, Sicheng has been his greatest source of comfort beside his faith. Falling into Sicheng’s arms after a long day of work is a special sort of heaven, exclusive to Taeil only.

Parishioners who know Taeil might be shocked to see these longtime hidden friends of Taeil, but he supposes he isn’t going to try to hide them forever.

“You look really sexy,” Sicheng smoothes his hands down Taeil’s chest. The younger wore a thin black turtleneck plus his favourite black jacket on top—the ones with scribble drawn eyes printed all over it.

“And you look stunning,” Taeil brushes Sicheng’s hair that had been pressed down by the helmet. A thought in Taeil’s mind swims to the surface and he says, “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. I know neither big crowds nor religion is your thing.”

The latter is a well known fact in Taeil’s head but the first came as sort of a surprise to Taeil. It was during a large college graduation party that Taeil noticed his boyfriend growing quieter by the hour. When they finally left, Sicheng huffed out a sigh he had been holding in the entire night, groaning that he had zero plans to attend a party like that again.

“It’s okay, Illie. Masses are orderly, right? And if you say the hymns are nice, I’m sure it’s because they’re pleasing to the ears and not some booming heavy metal songs,” Sicheng shrugs, a part of his mind considering the possibility of heavy metal worship songs.

“No, not heavy metal songs at all,” Taeil laughs. In a tall pillar above the church hall, large bronze bells chime to commence mass starting soon. “It’s pretty neat, yes, if you discount the occasional baby crying or the designated young children spot.”

They walk hand in hand into the church hall, gaining many heads turning in their direction and the surprised gazes of all of them. Taeil shyly rubs the back of his neck while Sicheng looks out the series of glass windows, a faint blush high on his cheeks. 

Rather than Taeil’s usual seat in the middle row, they pick one at the back where lesser eyes would fall on them. Within a six meter circumference on their sides, some of Taeil’s friends and acquaintances sit. One of them being Mrs. Park, who after expressing her astonishment at Taeil’s newly presented style, made gestures to enquire if Sicheng is Taeil’s special someone. Taeil nods joyfully and Mrs. Park gives him a thumbs up and a wink.

Mass begins and everything as follows accordingly.  _ Kyrie eleison  _ is sung and scriptures are read. Taeil is fully immersed while Sicheng isn’t. He’s not against anything but definitely not as interested. His eyes flicker from the stained glass windows to the people around them. He catches a handful of people staring at him and he sends an arched eyebrow back. So all in all, kind of boring. 

Sicheng turns his head to Taeil. Taeil who greets him every morning with a kiss and gets pulled back into bed for more even if he’s running late to open the tattoo parlour. He asked the older man what made him so devoted to God before and each time, Taeil tells Sicheng one of the many different reasons why he is. It’s admirable to Sicheng to see his boyfriend’s heart so full of love and gratitude for someone, even if Taeil cannot see that someone.

_ “I do see him, actually,” Taeil said while doing the dishes once. Sicheng’s ears perk up in interest. “Really? When?” _

_ “Whenever I’m with you,” Taeil wipes his hands dry on the hanging hand towel and makes his way to the couch Sicheng is slumped on. “I see him in you. I see how lovely he makes people and how he makes them beautiful inside out. Whenever you smile, I know it’s because he and his angels spent extra time on you,” Taeil’s eyes glittered and his voice as smooth as velvet while he explained. _

_ As sweet as that was, Sicheng snorts and turns back to the TV. _

_ “Hey,” Taeil climbs on top of Sicheng and nudges his cheek. “What’s so funny? You don’t believe God spent extra time on you?” _

_ Sicheng shakes his head. “God didn’t make me.” _

_ “Really? Then who did?” _

_ “Uh, maybe a chicken. I very clearly remember popping out of an egg as a baby.” _

_ Taeil is taken aback for a moment but bursts into a small fit of laughter. Sicheng focuses back on Taeil now, whose face is flushed from laughing. His laugh fills the rooms and every fibre of Sicheng’s being. If Sicheng were to believe in a higher, holy entity, it would be this right here—Taeil pressed against him and bubbling with joy. _

“-aby? Baby?” Taeil whispers and Sicheng snaps out of his gaze. “Hm?” Sicheng tilts his head.

“You’ve been staring at me for a while. Is everything okay?”

Sicheng throws a leg over Taeil’s and leans in close. “Yea, I’m okay. I was just thinking of something.” He tilts so he can lay a series of kisses around Taeil’s mouth. A mostly muted yelp escapes Taeil and Sicheng presses harder.

“You’re so, so precious,” Sicheng says into Taeil’s mouth. The temperature of their lips meet an equilibrium and it’s only then that Sicheng notices the many pairs of eyes on them. Some appalled and others cross. Sicheng huffs.

“Your elderly friends are homophobic,” Sicheng scoffs.

“No, baby. It’s because it looks like we’re about to suck face in the middle of the gospel.”

Later after mass, Sicheng hugs Taeil from behind while the latter chats with a few of his friends. It’s nothing serious but Sicheng scowls at some of the elderly people. Mostly for fun but also to let them know he and Taeil are not to be trifled with.

. . .

“How did you even find this place?” Taeil asks. It’s a Saturday night and he’s being led by the hand into a woods half an hour away from the city.

“I heard of it from other witches. Remember Doyoung?” Taeil nods. “Yea, he told me about a few good spots for the coven to meet around this area. And it’s close to a really pretty restaurant I wanted to visit with you.”

It’s one of those nights Sicheng goes exploring for meeting places and Taeil trails along. The path is dark and unknown sounds are heard all around them. It gets spooky but when Sicheng holds tight on his hand and pulls him into a back hug every now and then to admire the natural beauty of nature in the absence of the sun’s kiss, Taeil can’t help but to throw every fear and worry out of the window.

“There! There it is!” Sicheng points straight ahead. He tugs on Taeil’s hand and swiftly avoids the twigs on the ground sticking up at awkward angles. They reach a clearing in the shape of a circle with mossy stones strewn in different places. “Oh, it’s perfect!” Sicheng exclaims.

While Taeil takes a seat on one of the stones, Sicheng examines the various nooks and crannies of the area. He finds leaves of different edges, some smooth and others jagged. Their gold and amber colours pair well with each other and Sicheng retrieves Taeil’s sketchbook stored in his bag, bookmarking the leaves between two empty pages. 

“I’m bringing two leaves home!”

“As long as you don’t leave them on the bed this time!” Taeil gives a thumbs up and thinks back to the time Sicheng left two dried leaves on their bed which he procrastinated to properly keep, which then led to a mess of decaying leaf bits that were a hassle to clean.

Sicheng doesn’t reply. Instead, he zeros in on a patch across Taeil. “Ah!” Sicheng exclaims. Taeil comes over in a flash to check out what got Sicheng excited.

“Mushrooms?”

“Not just any mushrooms. Amanita muscaria. They’re my favourite,” Sicheng clarifies.

“Aren’t they poisonous?” Taeil worries in case they were inhaling any deadly spores.

“Sort of, but they can’t kill us like this.”

Taeil fishes his polaroid camera out of Sicheng’s bag and captures a shot of the little group of mushrooms. “I’m adding this to my polaroid album,” he says. The said album is made of big and little things Taeil sees in life. Some serve as memories to look back on and others serve as inspiration for new tattoo designs.

“And how’s the album going? I haven’t seen it in awhile.” Sicheng fishes for yet another thing from the bag. This time, it’s a thin picnic mat he unfolds and lays on the ground. He lays down on one half and pats the other half for Taeil to join him.

“Pretty well! Lots of flowers, some animals, some of the cafes we went to and loads of you after we fucked,” Taeil grins mischievously and is promptly tackled by Sicheng, who pins him down by the shoulders, tickling him. Sicheng knows about these pictures very well. Many of them feature him looking into the lens with hooded eyes and others focus on his legs spread just for Taeil.

“I thought they were in your secret album!” Sicheng whines.

“That  _ is  _ my secret album! No one else can touch it and it’s reserved for my eyes only,” Taeil huffs and plants his hands on Sicheng’s hips to bring the younger to straddle his hips.

“Not even accessible by me?”

“Mm, maybe I’ll make a special exception,” Taeil hums. His hands rub Sicheng’s waist this time and travels up Sicheng’s torso. It’s a chilly autumn night and below the hoodie Sicheng had on, he wore a nicely fitted heattech shirt to protect him from the cold. 

The trees around them block the cold air from hitting them. So for fun, Taeil lifts the hem of Sicheng’s hoodie in the middle. “Pretty baby,” Taeil uses his other hand to feel Sicheng’s abdomen above the black shirt. Sicheng makes no move to stop him. He observes Taeil’s eyes wondering his torso and cherishes the warm hand exploring his body.

Despite Sicheng’s slightly closed off personality when they first met, Taeil had found a way to deconstruct his walls. In a world he knew could reject him and call him absurd, Taeil had kept his arms open with his heart on his sleeve from the start. More than anything, Sicheng knows Taeil loves him.

Taeil loves Sicheng to the moon and back. He’d act goofy just to see Sicheng’s smile and hold him tight when it feels like the world is too much. So perhaps it’s as Taeil says; the Gods or someone else above has spent extra time on him to make him someone so worthy of Taeil’s love. 

And Sicheng knows they spent extra time on Taeil too. Taeil is a dream come to life, including all the flaws. Whenever Taeil catches Sicheng staring at him, he flashes the younger a grin and the younger’s heart goes  _ boom boom boom.  _ Solitude used to be his good friend till Taeil came along and showed him that being by someone’s side has its perks too. Taeil’s presence, what Sicheng initially thought to be someone who could warm his bed with him on some nights, became a permanent beacon of warmth for Sicheng to lean on and hold close.

“You hungry? I’m really excited to eat the tart you made,” Taeil retracts his hand from underneath Sicheng’s hoodie to rest at his waist.

_ Ah!  _ Sicheng almost forgot. He climbs off Taeil and reaches into Taeil’s bag this time to pull out a container encasing two lemon meringue pies. They sit and fetch a tart for themselves, eating it after Taeil takes another polaroid of Sicheng and the tarts.

It’s a quiet affair. A small portable light sits beside them and Taeil looks ethereal with the amber glow cast on the side of his face. Sicheng finishes the tart first and fondly watches Taeil savour every bit of the pie. Between the last bite of the tart and chewing on the previous bite, Taeil takes Sicheng’s hand into his own and presses Sicheng’s hand to his cheek.

“The tart is amazing. My baby’s so talented. What can’t he do?” 

Sicheng scoots closer, kissing Taeil’s cheeks and wraps his arms around Taeil’s waist. Taeil finishes his last bite of the tart and leans on Sicheng. Together, they listen to the sound of each other breathing. Two wholes together to create something bigger, their love runs for miles in a loop. 

A deep breath in and Sicheng can smell Taeil’s favourite vanilla body wash. Though the only difference this time is that Taeil uses the one Sicheng made himself. Again, Sicheng is reminded of how Taeil loves him a little too much. But Sicheng would never trade it for the world.

“Can we kiss? Like for a really long time?” Sicheng asks out of the blue. Taeil is pulled out of his daze and turns to look at the younger. “Yea, I’d like that,” he beams and cradles Sicheng’s head to capture his lips. They pull away after a chaste start so Taeil can sit up to properly accommodate Sicheng on his lap. 

Their lips meet again and Taeil can taste the sweet aftermath of the meringue tart on Sicheng’s lips. He licks once and another time again for Sicheng to give him entrance. The sequence of tongues colliding is well rehearsed and no less exciting. Taeil plays with Sicheng’s tongue with his own, making the younger cling tighter onto him. Sicheng is desperate for Taeil to taste every bit of him and he’ll be damned if any spot is left untouched.

When their breath runs out, Taeil kisses harder for just a few seconds so he can feast on the sight of Sicheng all breathless and panting. Sicheng’s lips quiver and his hooded eyes glare at Taeil. “Oh, did I make my baby upset? Did I?” Taeil immediately attacks Sicheng’s neck with open mouth kisses and squeezes on Sicheng’s butt. “Jerk,” Sicheng mutters with no bite. 

In the quiet of the night, the only sounds present are the distant hoots of an owl, the leaves rustling and the muffled moans Sicheng keeps to himself. Taeil pushes Sicheng’s hips to his, grinding their pelvis together and seeking friction. Sicheng’s breath hitches and yet another muffled moan escapes.

“Let it out, baby,” Taeil coaxes with kitten licks on the shell of Sicheng’s ear. “Let me hear you. It’s only the two of us.”

With a little more coaxing and attention to Sicheng’s groin, Sicheng’s restraint dissolves and his moans grow louder. “More, more,” he digs his nails into Taeil’s back.

Impatience mixes with want and Taeil knows exactly what Sicheng needs. He slips a hand into Sicheng’s pants and strokes his semi-hard length. “Need me to suck you off?”

Sicheng nods and wastes no time lying on his back with his pants strewn to the side. His cock lays flush against his stomach, waiting for the warmth of Taeil’s mouth. Even with protests verbalised, Taeil takes his time admiring his boyfriend. His perfect legs and beautiful thighs presented to Taeil so boldly, capturing his gaze like a moth towards light. Taeil smooths his hands from Sicheng’s calf to his thighs, massaging the flesh with two thumbs edging their way closer to Sicheng’s cock.

Sicheng bucks his hip up. Impatience is taking over and his hands would be a much quicker way to sooth his lust though not as heavenly as Taeil’s mouth. But he’s pulled back to reality when Taeil cups his balls and leans in to let some spit drip from his tongue to the tip shaft of Sicheng’s cock. He jolts at the sudden warmth and sighs in relief when his base is cupped and given a slow glide up.

“Yes,” Sicheng groans. He bucks his hip up again but is pinned back down by Taeil’s other hand. “Stay still, baby. Why don’t you play with yourself too?”

Nevermind the autumn chill, Sicheng is too distracted to feel it when he has a hand fisting his cock and two of his own playing with his nipples. Deft movements on Taeil’s part has Sicheng falling apart, just to be put back together again when he denies Sicheng of his orgasm. The more he takes away the edge Sicheng needs to come, the less Sicheng is put back together. The younger is undone and debauched, his arms covering his face—shy from Taeil’s unwavering gaze into his eyes.

“Aren’t you such a pretty thing?” Taeil hums, his fingers toying with Sicheng’s tip. Sicheng is too embarrassed to answer coherently. He whines and moans for release but never receives enough to spill over. Precum is messily drooled over Taeil’s fist and the slick is heavenly. Just when Sicheng decides he has enough of Taeil’s teasing, Taeil kneels over, engulfing Sicheng’s cock his with the heat of his mouth. 

Taeil presses his tongue against Sicheng’s length, pulling up to the tip and sucking on it. Sicheng cries out when Taeil sinks back down, then bobbing his head at a pace that drives Sicheng crazy. Taeil’s hand stays at the base of his cock stroking what his mouth can’t reach. 

Moans and cries go straight to Taeil’s cock. He feels his length twitch and the urge to pleasure himself too. Without breaking away from gliding Sicheng’s cock along the velvety walls of his mouth, Taeil grinds down on the ground beneath him. His groan vibrates onto Sicheng’s cock, pushing the younger closer to his climax.

“Illie,” Sicheng whimpers. “I’m close. So close.”

Taeil pulls off Sicheng’s cock for a brief moment. His hand fists Sicheng’s length rapidly and he takes the chance to see the sinful mess his beloved has become. “Come in my mouth, okay?” Taeil hums and sinks back down on Sicheng’s cock.

Sicheng’s body jerks. His nipples are sensitive from toying with them and his body is drowned in ecstasy. Hands fly to grip on Taeil’s hair and pistons his hips into Taeil’s mouth. His mind blurs and in the next moment, his eyes flutter shut, his orgasm crashing down on him. 

Cum paints the inside of Taeil’s mouth and the elder milks Sicheng dry. He pulls away slowly with his tongue pressed back against Sicheng’s length and the latter shivers when Taeil’s mouth no longer surrounds his cock.

Taeil leans closer to his face and Sicheng’s heart speeds up. Like a good boy, he parts his lips, letting his come in Taeil’s mouth drip into his own. What follows is a messy kiss and a yelp when Taeil pulls his cock out of his pants to grind down on Sicheng.

“I-Illie!”

“Feel good?” Taeil lifts his hips back up and bumps his forehead against Sicheng’s. Sicheng wraps his arms around Taeil, mummering small ‘yes’s into Taeil’s ear. He buries his face into the crook of Taeil’s neck to regain his breath and is showered with compliments which lift him to cloud nine. The tip of Taeil’s cock brushes against his abdomen and Sicheng knows it’s his turn to take care of Taeil.

They swap positions so that Sicheng can straddle Taeil. He sucks on three of his fingers, pulling out with a pop. “What a sinful man you are,” Sicheng purrs into Taeil’s ear. “Will you say my name like a prayer?” 

The Sicheng now is a complete hundred and eighty degree change from the Sicheng just now. He’s the snake tempting Adam into sin, presenting an undeniable offer that Taeil cannot resist. “Sicheng,” Taeil exhales.

Sicheng returns a cheshire cat grin. The glossy glow in Taeil’s eyes is the key telltale sign that’s enjoying this and it excites Sicheng to play with the positions of power they adopted. He’s assertive and mean, but kind at the same time. Kind orders are given for Taeil to tell Sicheng exactly what he wants.

Taeil’s breath hitches each time Sicheng flicks the tip of his cock with wet fingers, playing with the pooling precum and fantasizing how he can better tease Taeil. A hand travels to Taeil’s neck where the tattoo of a snake coiled around it bares its fangs. Similarly, Sicheng bears his teeth, biting down on Taeil together with sped up strokes on his cock.

The sting and ecstasy pull out unfiltered moans from Taeil. He’s unashamed about being loud and loves it when Sicheng puts him in his place, tugging on his cock and circling a finger around his rim. It’s not often where Sicheng teases his hole given how the younger usually likes it the other way round. But during the times Sicheng is on the giving end, it’s heaven for Taeil.

“You’re so perfect. Look at you. It’s like your cock was made to be touched and played with. And look at your thighs. I want to suck and leave bruises all over them. Would you like that? Of course you would, because you’re always so good to me—always letting me make you feel good.”

Praises and dirty words swim in Taeil’s head. He clings onto Sicheng and chants his name like a mantra. 

_ Sicheng Sicheng Sicheng _

Taeil is a man of God but he’ll give into the snake's temptation any day.

_ Sicheng Sicheng Sicheng _

Sicheng—the ironic figure of purity and sin itself—nibbles on Taeil’s ear, never pausing to give Taeil’s throbbing length a break.

_ Sicheng Sicheng Sicheng _

A squeeze at his base has Taeil coming all over Sicheng’s hands and on his stomach. “Fuck,” a long moan from Taeil escapes while he throws his head back. Like Taeil himself, Sicheng milks out every drop and wipes it all along the length of Taeil’s cock just so he can lick it all up again.

Such a filthy sight has all of Taeil blood rushing south again. Using the remaining cum that splattered on his stomach, he nudges Sicheng back onto the mat and smears it around his hole. Used to being stretched without much lube, Sicheng takes three of Taeil’s fingers pumping into him easily and welcomes Taeil’s length with no problem. 

They come for the second time that night, their breath now more ragged and laboured. The coldness of their surroundings don’t bother them yet and they hold each other close, Taeil’s cock still buried deep in Sicheng.

“Now you’ll think of me fucking you every time you have a coven meeting here,” Taeil quips. Sicheng gasps with fake offence and slaps Taeil’s shoulder.

True, Sicheng would think of Taeil pounding into him in every future meeting he has here. But it’s not a problem when he’ll also be reminded of Taeil love fueled kisses.

**Author's Note:**

> hi!! thank you for reading the fic till the end ヽ(*・ω・)ﾉ i hope it's to your liking and that it does your masterpiece justice ;;w;;
> 
> to anyone who would like to commission me ;D https://twitter.com/opalwinwin/status/1276869055740211201?s=20
> 
> let me know what you think of the fic!!


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